Small school boys basketball districts released

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released its districts and substates for both Class 1A and 2A boys basketball this weekend. The fields are not yet seeded, but each team at least knows the handful of teams in their way of the state tournament.

The state was able to break up some of the top 1A teams in the area. Third-ranked WACO, the highest rated team in the Union Coverage area, was put in District 8. Joining the Warriors are a New London team that is currently getting votes in the top 10 and a three-loss Notre Dame team. Also in District 8 are Columbus, Holy Trinity, Pekin, Sigourney, Tri-County, Winfield-Mt. Union and Wapello.

The 10th-ranked Highland Huskies were placed in the opposite district of WACO. The Huskies are the only team in District 7 that appeared in the January 20 rankings, but they are joined by a tough three-loss Springville team. Springville is the top team in the entire substate according to bcmoorerankings.com, which has the Orioles rated No. 6 in Class 1A. Springville has also won five-straight games.

Other teams in District 7 are Calamus-Wheatland, Hillcrest Academy, Lisbon, Lone Tree, Midland, Morning Star Academy and North Cedar.

Keota, a team that sits at 10-2 overall this season, was pushed away from the local substate. The Eagles were instead placed in District 9, a district that also includes No. 4 Montezuma, the team that just knocked Keota off 76-68 last week. The Eagles were fortunate to evade all other ranked teams in their substate.

Keota is joined in District 9 by BGM Brooklyn, English Valleys, Hardwick-Victor-Ladora, Lynnville-Sully, Moravia, Moulton-Udell, North Mahaska and Twin Cedars. District 10 is made up of Central Decatur, East Union, Lamoni, Mormon Trail, Murray, Nodaway Valley, Orient-Macksburg, Seymour and Wayne County, Corydon.

In Class 2A, Cardinal and Van Buren were placed in the same district, District 11. The Comets and Warriors are joined by Albia, Chariton, Davis County and Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. The only ranked team in that substate is undefeated and seventh-ranked Van Meter, who is joined in Distcirt 12 by Colfax-Mingo, Interstate 35, Pleasantville, Woodward Academy and Woodward-Granger. Woodward-Granger is currently receiving votes in the Class 2A rankings.

Mid-Prairie was placd in District 9, the same district as second-ranked Camanche. Durant, Louisa-Muscatine, Williamsburg and Wilton were also placed in that district.

On the other side of Mid-Prairie's substate is another ranked team, No. 9 West Branch. They are joined in District 10 by Central Lee, Danville, Mediapolis, West Burlington and West Liberty.

In the coming weeks, the Class 3A and 4A groupings will also be released. Before the end of the regular season, teams will be seeded and put into their postseason brackets. The district tournaments will all begin in mid-February.